Welcome back to Rewatching Smallville, my weekly dive into the iconic series that explores Clark Kent’s journey before becoming Superman. Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to the show, you’re invited to join in each Tuesday as I revisit episodes and share my thoughts and observations. Be sure to share your own memories and theories in the comments below!

Content Warning: This episode deals with themes of sexual manipulation, consent issues, and problematic relationship dynamics involving characters who are minors.

Sometimes the most dangerous temptation for a superhero isn’t the obvious villain with a master plan—it’s the person who claims to understand you better than anyone else. “Unsafe,” the eleventh episode of Smallville‘s fourth season, takes the complex relationship between Clark Kent and Alicia Baker and pushes it into deeply uncomfortable territory that reveals as much about the show’s limitations in handling mature themes as it does about its characters’ fundamental loneliness.

Written by Steven S. DeKnight and Jeph Loeb and directed by Greg Beeman, “Unsafe” arrives at a crucial point in Season 4’s exploration of secrets and their consequences. Following the psychological revelations of “Scare,” this episode examines what happens when the relief of being truly known by another person becomes twisted into manipulation and control. It’s a premise with genuine dramatic potential that gets muddled by questionable writing choices and a troubling lack of accountability for the episode’s central act of chemical assault.

The Allure of Being Known

The episode opens with Clark in his most relatable state—lonely, isolated, and turning down social invitations because the prospect of maintaining his secret identity feels too exhausting. Tom Welling brings a weary vulnerability to Clark’s early scenes that makes Alicia’s eventual reappearance feel like both salvation and inevitable disaster.

Sarah Carter returns as Alicia Baker with a performance that walks the line between genuine vulnerability and calculated manipulation. Her claim to be “cured” by Belle Reve’s treatment creates an immediate tension: Is this the redemptive second chance that Clark desperately wants to believe in, or is it simply a more sophisticated version of the obsession that nearly got them both killed in Season 3?

The episode’s strongest moments come from exploring the genuine appeal that Alicia represents for Clark. His confession to Martha that Alicia makes him feel “free to be himself” captures something essential about the burden of living with such a massive secret. When you’re pretending to be someone else in every social interaction, the relief of being authentically yourself with another person becomes intoxicating—a psychological dynamic that the episode understands better than it ultimately handles.

Carter and Welling develop convincing chemistry in their early scenes together, particularly during the ice skating date where Clark allows himself to simply enjoy being a normal teenager with someone who accepts his extraordinary nature. The moment works because it feels earned—these are two damaged people finding genuine connection despite their complicated history.

Red Kryptonite and the Consent Problem

The episode’s central crisis begins when Alicia manipulates Clark into wearing a red kryptonite necklace, ostensibly as a gift but actually as a method of chemical control. This plot development creates the kind of consent issues that Smallville typically handles with all the subtlety of a meteor strike, and “Unsafe” unfortunately follows that pattern.

The red kryptonite sequences showcase Tom Welling’s skill at playing Kal, the uninhibited version of Clark that emerges under the mineral’s influence. His manic energy and complete lack of social filtering create genuinely entertaining moments, particularly his enthusiastic response to learning that Alicia is a virgin (“That’s great! So am I!”) and his impulsive marriage proposal. Welling plays Kal as someone operating on pure impulse without the moral constraints that define Clark Kent, creating a character who’s simultaneously Clark and utterly foreign to his normal personality.

However, the episode’s treatment of the manipulation itself proves deeply problematic. When Clark confronts Alicia after the kryptonite wears off, her justification—”I don’t think that rock forces you to do anything! Maybe it dampens your inhibitions, but Clark Kent got himself into this situation”—represents the kind of victim-blaming logic that would be immediately recognizable as abusive if applied to any other form of chemical coercion. The fact that Clark was literally drugged without his consent gets lost in the episode’s focus on the romantic drama.

This becomes particularly uncomfortable when viewed alongside the episode’s exploration of sexual themes. Alicia uses chemical manipulation to engineer a situation where Clark will agree to immediate physical intimacy and marriage—actions that normal Clark would never consider at this point in their relationship. The episode’s failure to fully grapple with the ethical implications of this choice undermines its attempts at romantic storytelling.

Las Vegas and the Marriage That Never Was

The Las Vegas sequence represents both the episode’s most entertaining segment and its most legally dubious plotting. Welling and Carter play the newlywed sequence with infectious enthusiasm, creating moments of genuine humor amid the problematic circumstances. Kal’s casual “Hell yes!” response to the wedding vows and his impatience with ceremonial delays feel authentic to someone operating without normal social inhibitions.

The production makes smart use of stock footage from Ocean’s Eleven to establish the Vegas setting, lending the sequence a glamorous sheen that contrasts with the emotional manipulation underlying the entire situation. The detail that Clark is underage and would require parental consent for legal marriage adds another layer of implausibility, though the episode does acknowledge that the ceremony carries no legal weight.

The hotel room sequence where Alicia removes Clark’s necklace creates the episode’s most dramatically effective moment. Welling’s transition from manic enthusiasm to horrified realization happens in real-time, and his immediate recognition that he’s been violated feels authentic rather than performative. Clark’s anger isn’t just about the deception—it’s about having his agency completely removed during what should have been one of the most intimate experiences of his life.

The Accountability Gap

Perhaps the episode’s most glaring failure comes in its resolution, which essentially absolves Alicia of responsibility for her actions while placing the burden of relationship management entirely on Clark. Martha’s stern lecture about the “sanctity of marriage” completely ignores the fact that her son was chemically compromised and had no control over his actions—a response that feels both cruel and illogical coming from someone who has seen red kryptonite’s effects before.

This represents a particularly egregious example of Smallville‘s tendency to hold Clark responsible for situations beyond his control while allowing other characters to escape consequences for genuinely harmful behavior. Martha’s disappointment might be understandable if Clark had chosen to put on the necklace, but her inability to distinguish between Clark’s choices and Kal’s actions creates a moral framework that borders on absurd.

The episode compounds this problem by having Clark ultimately forgive Alicia and even embrace her in their final scene together. While forgiveness can be a powerful dramatic choice, it works best when it follows genuine accountability and changed behavior. Here, Alicia’s apology feels hollow because the episode hasn’t adequately established that she understands why her actions were wrong beyond the fact that they didn’t produce her desired outcome.

Lana’s Sexual Agency

The episode’s B-plot follows Lana’s decision to sleep with Jason in order to save their relationship, creating a parallel exploration of young adult sexuality that handles its themes more successfully than the main storyline. Kristin Kreuk brings nuanced performance to Lana’s journey from confusion to determination, particularly in her conversations with Chloe about readiness and regret.

The episode deserves credit for depicting Lana as the active decision-maker in her sexual choices rather than simply responding to male pressure. Her realization that Jason’s concerns go beyond physical intimacy adds complexity to their relationship dynamic while avoiding the suggestion that sex will solve their fundamental communication problems.

Allison Mack provides excellent support as Chloe, whose revelation about her own sexual experience during her Daily Planet internship adds depth to her character while providing realistic perspective on teenage sexual decision-making. The detail about “Jimmy” creates intriguing continuity for longtime viewers without overwhelming the immediate dramatic stakes.

The sequence where Lana prepares for intimacy with Jason only to learn that sex wasn’t actually the issue in their relationship provides effective dramatic irony while treating Lana’s sexual agency with appropriate respect. Jensen Ackles brings genuine conflict to Jason’s revelation about his mother’s manipulation, creating sympathy for his position while acknowledging the unfairness to Lana.

Lionel’s Mysterious Transformation

John Glover continues to bring compelling ambiguity to Lionel’s apparent redemption arc, though the episode keeps his motivations deliberately opaque. His conversation with Lex about starting charitable organizations feels simultaneously genuine and calculating, creating the uncertainty that makes Lionel such an effective wild card in Season 4’s ongoing power struggles.

Michael Rosenbaum plays Lex’s skepticism with appropriate wariness, though his scenes with Lionel feel somewhat disconnected from the episode’s main emotional throughline. The father-son dynamic continues to evolve in fascinating directions, but “Unsafe” doesn’t give their relationship the focus it deserves.

Dr. McBride and Institutional Authority

John Pyper-Ferguson brings menacing authority to Dr. McBride, whose threats against both Alicia and Clark reveal the dark side of institutional mental health treatment. His willingness to use Alicia’s psychiatric history as leverage demonstrates how easily therapeutic relationships can become tools of control, particularly when dealing with young people who have limited legal rights.

The character serves an important function in highlighting Alicia’s vulnerability while creating genuine external stakes for her relationship with Clark. However, his ultimate fate—being easily dispatched by Clark’s super strength—feels somewhat anticlimactic given the legitimate threat he represents to Alicia’s freedom and well-being.

Season 4 Context and Themes

“Unsafe” arrives at a crucial juncture in Season 4’s exploration of how secrets isolate characters and create opportunities for manipulation. Following the psychological revelations of “Scare,” this episode demonstrates how vulnerability can become a weapon when one person’s desperation intersects with another’s need for connection.

The episode also continues Season 4’s examination of how Clark’s extraordinary nature makes normal relationship development nearly impossible. His attraction to Alicia stems partly from her knowledge of his secret, but that same dynamic makes him vulnerable to manipulation by someone who understands his isolation better than he might wish.

Most importantly, “Unsafe” establishes patterns of forgiveness and accountability that will continue to challenge Clark throughout the series. His willingness to absolve people who harm him while maintaining impossible standards for himself creates a dynamic that both ennobles and endangers him as he continues his journey toward becoming Superman.

Technical Elements and Direction

Greg Beeman brings solid direction to the episode’s various tonal shifts, maintaining coherence despite the challenging balance between romantic drama, supernatural thriller, and coming-of-age story. The Las Vegas sequences feel appropriately dreamlike while the more grounded Smallville scenes maintain the show’s established visual style.

The episode’s pacing effectively builds tension through Alicia’s manipulation while allowing breathing room for character development between Clark and his parents. However, some tonal inconsistencies—particularly the jarring shift from romantic comedy in Vegas to serious relationship drama afterward—suggest challenges in balancing the episode’s disparate elements.

The decision to end the episode with Clark and Alicia’s reconciliation creates emotional closure while leaving unresolved questions about accountability and growth that feel somewhat unsatisfying given the serious nature of her actions.

The Verdict

“Unsafe” tackles genuinely complex themes around consent, manipulation, and the desperate human need for authentic connection, but its execution reveals the limitations of Smallville‘s approach to mature storytelling. The episode succeeds in exploring Clark’s loneliness and the intoxicating appeal of being truly known by another person, but it fails to adequately address the ethical implications of Alicia’s actions or provide satisfying accountability for her choices.

The performances, particularly from Tom Welling and Sarah Carter, elevate material that could have become exploitative or simplistic. Their chemistry makes the relationship’s appeal understandable while their individual work captures the complexity of two damaged people trying to find connection through questionable means.

Ultimately, “Unsafe” represents both the potential and the problems of Smallville‘s fourth season. When it focuses on character psychology and genuine emotional stakes, the episode creates compelling drama that illuminates important aspects of Clark’s development. When it attempts to navigate complex ethical territory without sufficient nuance or consequence, it reveals the show’s occasional tendency to prioritize romantic drama over moral coherence.

It’s an episode that generates more questions than it answers, which might be exactly what Season 4 needs as it continues to explore the price of keeping secrets and the dangerous allure of being understood. Just don’t expect all those questions to receive satisfying answers.

What did you think of the episode’s handling of the red kryptonite storyline? Did Clark’s forgiveness of Alicia feel earned, or did the episode let her off too easily for her manipulation? And how do you feel about Martha’s response to the situation—was her disappointment justified given the circumstances? Share your thoughts and memories in the comments below!